Session Details

Understanding the basics behind ALA’s financial operations is required for all chapter leaders. In this session, we will review key components of your chapters’ financial activity. Topics covered include chapter budgets, monthly treasurer’s reports, annual filings, insurance coverage, and much more!

Travis Armstrong, CLM, CPA, is the Chief Operating Officer for English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, LLP (ELPO Law), a regional firm with three offices and 32 attorneys, headquartered in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He currently serves as Director on the ALA’s Board of Directors and will serve as President-Elect for the 2024–2025 term. Also, he has been an ALA member since 2005, when he first accepted a position in the legal management profession. He immediately joined ALA and became a member of the Middle Tennessee Chapter, where he served as Treasurer for six years, then Vice President and President. In addition to his local chapter service, he served two years as a Regional Representative before becoming a member of the 2017 and 2018 Annual Conference Planning Committees. He then served as Chair of the 2019 Annual Conference Planning Committee, followed by two years on the Certification Committee. He currently serves as Director on the ALA’s Board of Directors and will serve as President-Elect for the 2024–2025 term.   

Shauna Manner, CLM, MBA, CPA, is the Firm Administrator at Larkins Vacura Kayser, LLP, in Portland, Oregon. Manner is an experienced leader in both for-profit and not-for-profit professional services organizations. She is an active member of the ALA Oregon Chapter and has served in several leadership positions for the chapter, including Chapter President. At the international level, she’s currently serving on the Chapter Resource Team. 

11:30 a.m.

Get Ready:
Bylaws Rally: Racing through the Governing Lanes of ALA
Sarah Evenson, JD, MBA & Sarah Cramer 

In this 30-minute session, you will go into the basics of ALA’s governance that a chapter leader will need as they are getting started (or as a good review). Key components to be reviewed include the Code of Ethics, Model Chapter Bylaws and the process for updates, antitrust guidelines, and legal services.

Sarah Cramer is Director of Human Resources at Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice LLC, where she oversees all HR functions for the firm’s four Midwest locations. Cramer has more than 15 years of law firm experience in many legal support and management roles. She joined ALA in 2013 and is an active Greater Kansas City Chapter member, serving in various roles, including President, Business Partner Committee Chair and Membership Committee Chair. She is also a member of the Gateway Chapter. Cramer serves on ALA’s Chapter Resource Team and will transition this year to a Director on ALA’s Board of Directors. 

Terri Moore-Natal, SPHR, is the Director of Administration at Holzer Patel Drennan, a boutique intellectual property and business law firm in Denver, Colorado. She is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and has served on the Mile High Chapter Board of Directors in many roles, including President. She has served ALA as a Membership Ambassador and Chapter Resource Team member. Moore-Natal currently serves as a Director on ALA’s Board of Directors.  

Wednesday, March 27
10 a.m.

Get Set:
In the Driver’s Seat: Steering Through Fiduciary Responsibilities and the Role of HQ
Eryn Carter, CAE  

Start the morning off right with ALA’s Executive Director Eryn Carter and gain insight into key concepts for leaders to keep in mind as they lead their chapters as well as understanding the role and responsibilities of HQ. Key components to be reviewed include defining Duty of Care, Duty of Loyalty and Duty of Obedience, how ALA headquarters can assist you, communications to and from headquarters, ALA’s calendar of events and opportunities available such as chapter visits.

Get Set: 
Put Your Meetings in the Right Gear
Michael Keatts & Ken Koehn, CLM, CPA, CMA 

In this 25-minute session, you will learn both the basics and best practices of running an ALA meeting. Key components to be reviewed include:  

• Creating a Board Meeting Agenda
• Best Practices for Chapter Minutes
• General Meetings
• Promoting Meetings
• Modified Roberts Rules&
• Importance of understanding meeting requirements in your chapter bylaws.

Michael Keatts is a Regional Office Administrator for Bowman and Brooke LLP, where he manages branch offices in Richmond, Virginia; New Brunswick, New Jersey; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Columbia, South Carolina. Keatts has been a member of ALA and the Richmond Chapter for 20 years. Locally, he has served as the President of the Richmond Chapter for two years and has been a committee member of the Virginia ALA Statewide Retreat for 13 consecutive years. Currently, Keatts serves as a member of the Chapter Resource Team and previously served on the Membership Development Committee, the Annual Conference Committee and the Nominating Committee.

Ken Koehn, CLM, CPA, CMA, is Chief Operating Officer of Gould & Ratner LLP in Chicago, Illinois. Koehn transitioned into his role as COO after serving as Gould & Ratner’s Chief Financial Officer for several years. His experience includes over 25 years in senior financial executive positions for Chicago law firms and other firms in the professional services and trading industries. He is currently on the ALA Chicago Chapter’s Board of Directors and has served in multiple leadership positions within the chapter. At the international level, he has served on the ALA Certification Committee, the Nominating Committee and is an incoming Director on ALA’s Board of Directors.

11:30 a.m.

Get Set:
Connect and Conquer: Fuel Success with Online Communities
Elyssa A. Goldstein, CLM, PHR, SHRM-CP & Sharon Williams

In this session, attendees will receive an overview of how their chapter could/should use the Online Communities and the features/functionality they should know about. Key components of the session will include benefits of the communities, core functions, antitrust issues, managing the communities, and communication through the communities.

Elyssa A. Goldstein, CLM, PHR, SHRM-CP, is the Firm Administrator of Rebenack, Aronow & Mascolo, LLP. She served on the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey Chapter of ALA for eight years, including one year as President. At the international level, Goldstein has served as Chair of the Membership Development Committee, as well as on the Certification Committee and the 2021 Annual Conference & Expo Planning Committee. She currently serves as a Director on the international ALA Board of Directors.

Sharon M. Williams currently is the Office Administrator at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP, in Phoenix, Arizona. Williams started out as a receptionist at the age of 17 and worked her way to her current position as Office Administrator. She has only strayed from the legal filed once to manage a dental practice. Williams has been an active member of the Arizona Chapter and has served in multiple leadership roles, including Chapter President. At the international level, she has served in multiple ALA roles and is currently a member of the Product and Service Review Committee, as well as the Chapter Resource Team.

Get Set
Educational Overdrive: Achieving Chapter Excellence in Programs and Learning
Clara Onderdonk, CLM & Rose Jaworecki

In this session, attendees will learn great tips and tricks to get their education and programming moving in the right direction. Key components include the importance of chapter meetings and professional development of members, budget friendly education opportunities, speaker selection, feedback mechanisms, and other education resources.

Rose A. Jaworecki is the Legal Office Administrator at Thompson Hine LLP’s New York office. She is also the Co-Manager of the Firm’s National Resource Group. Jaworecki has more than 30 years of managerial and leadership experience at small to large firms in New York. She served on the ALA New York City Chapter Board for five years, including one year as President. At the international level, she served on the 2018 Annual Conference & Expo Planning Committee. Jaworecki is currently serving her third year on the Chapter Resource Team.

Clara Onderdonk, CLM, is Office Manager of Ernstrom & Dreste, LLP in Rochester, New York. Within ALA, she is Past President of the Western and Central New York Chapter, served on the Annual Conference Committee three times, Regional Nominating Committee twice, Association Nominating Committee, Student Scholarship Mentor with the Foundation of ALA, Region One Team, and Chapter Resource Team. She currently serves as a Director on ALA’s International Board of Directors.

Get Set:
Easy Street: Mastering the CLM Approved Provider Program
Elyssa A. Goldstein, CLM, PHR, SHRM-CP 

In this sprint-like session, Elyssa Goldstein will cover the basics of the Certified Legal Manager (CLM)^® Approved Provider Program. Learn more about the benefits of being a provider, the steps to become an approved provider, and utilizing the Chapter Education Database.

Elyssa A. Goldstein, CLM, PHR, SHRM-CP, is the Firm Administrator of Rebenack, Aronow & Mascolo, LLP. She served on the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey Chapter of ALA for eight years, including one year as President. At the Association level, Goldstein has served as Chair of the Membership Development Committee, as well as on the Certification Committee and the 2021 Annual Conference & Expo Planning Committee. She currently serves as a Director on the ALA International Board.

Thursday, March 28
10 a.m.

Here We Go:
Not Just a Pit Stop: Creating Your Leadership Legacy
Holly Pulido

In this 20-minute session, be inspired to think beyond the “theme” of your leadership year and look ahead to what legacy you want to create for your chapter. We will touch on goal setting, chapter priorities, strategic planning, marketing, and motivating your board.

Holly Pulido is the Chief Administrative Officer of Burch Porter Johnson, PLLC in Memphis, Tennessee. She has over 20 years of experience in all areas of legal administration and finance. She currently serves as a Director on ALA’s International Board of Directors. She’s had many volunteer roles in ALA, including on the organization’s Chapter Resource Team and as President of the Austin Chapter. She is also a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Here We Go:
Event Enthusiasm: Member Attendance Strategies
Amanda Koplos, CLM, CPA

Amanda Koplos, CLM, CPA, is the Executive Director for Central Florida-based Shuffield, Lowman and Wilson, P.A. She has 19 years of experience in law firm management at firms of multiple sizes. Amanda is currently President-Elect of the Association of Legal Administrators and will become president in May of 2024. Amanda is also a frequent speaker on legal management topics, having given or moderated sessions on: DEI&A, budgeting and accounting, facilities and office moves, technology, and social media.

Here We Go:
Member Momentum: Igniting Engagement Around Every Turn
Angelina Angelov, CLM, MBA & Katherine Dart

In this session, we will encourage you to define engagement in whatever way makes sense for your chapter. Once we define engagement, we will explore how you ignite that engagement. During this session, we will share recent success stories, rethink ways to engage and meet members where they are, and understand challenges to engagement

Angelina Angelov, MBA, CLM, is currently the Treasury Manager at Russin Vecchi & Heredia Bonetti and Adjunct Professor of Postgraduate Studies at APEC University (UNAPEC) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Angelov has extensive experience in compliance and administrative and financial management. With nearly 20 years in the field of legal business. Angelov is the first international member to achieve the Certified Legal Manager (CLM)^® certification in November 2019. At the international level, she currently serves as a Director of the ALA International Board of Directors, after serving as the chair of the ALA Product and Service Review Committee. She has also been a member of the Business Partner Relations Committee (BPRC) and the International Relations Committee (IRC).

Katherine E. Dart is currently the Office Manager at Kennedys CMK LLP, in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. She is a manager for legal services support and local facilities management support. Dart has 20 years’ experience in multiple disciplines of office management with complementary previous experience in legal secretary and IT support. She is an active member of the ALA New Jersey Chapter where she has served in multiple leadership roles including Chapter President. At the international level, she is currently a member of the Chapter Resource Team.

11:30 a.m.

Pole Position: Navigating the Updated President’s Award of Excellence and Other Chapter Awards
Jessica VanTroost & Lisa Ford

In this session, learn the ins and outs of Chapter Awards and start to champion the highlights and awesome content your chapter is producing! Review the newly adopted Presidents’ Award of Excellence guidelines and understand how using the guidelines can be a road map for chapter success!

Lisa R. Ford is the Office Manager at Holland & Knight LLP, in Los Angeles, California. She has been a member of the Greater Los Angeles Association of Legal Administrators (GLAALA) for the past 10 years, serving in multiple leadership roles, including the current President-Elect. At the international level, she currently serves on the ALA Chapter Resource Team. Ford has served as a mentor to several future leaders in the legal community and volunteers with other non-profit organizations, such as the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.

Jessica L. VanTroost is McGlinchey Stafford’s Strategic Operations Administrator. With more than 15 years of experience in various legal roles, she has worked in both small and large firms across multiple states. VanTroost has been an active member of ALA since 2008 and is affiliated with the Jacksonville, South Florida, Middle Tennessee and Boston Chapters. She has held various board positions over the years and is a Past President of the Jacksonville Chapter. Currently, she serves as a Director on ALA’s international Board of Directors.

It’s a Marathon Not a Sprint: Leading Other Volunteer Leaders
Jerry McPeake, MSLA & Carrie Valenzuela

Attend this presentation and get inspired by your leadership journey. Leading other leaders is different! You may alter your communication styles, need to delegate more, spend time encouraging versus coaching, and be a little bit of a cheerleader for your chapter and this Association. Gain ideas and insight into this process. Understand resources you have available to help in this journey — part of leading other leaders is knowing what resources are available to you and asking for help when you need it — to get the answers FAST!

Jerry McPeake, MSLA, is the Chief Operating Officer at Minor & Brown, PC. He has worked in the legal field his entire adult life — first as a data entry clerk, then as a paralegal for 17 years, and finally in legal administration for the last 20 years. He served on the Board of Directors at the Mile High Chapter for 11 years, including as Chapter President. He was an ALA Regional Representative from 2014–2016;and was on the 2017 Annual Conference Committee. He currently serves on the ALA International Board of Directors.

Carrie Valenzuela is the Branch Office Manager for Meagher & Geer, PLLP, in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she manages the daily operations of a busy and dynamic office. She has more than 15 years in the legal industry, with experience in all aspects of law firm management and operations. Valenzuela is an active member of the Arizona Chapter, serving in various roles, including Chapter President (2021–2022). She continues her service to ALA as a Chapter Resource Team member.